Headgear was usually the Wolseley Pattern Pith Helmet, or the Cawnpore helmet in India (excpet on parade).
Shorts were ubiquitous, usually without a Field Dressing Pocket at this stage, and 1908 webbing was usually worn, except by Bren Gunners (who got 37). The aertex shirt was introduced for all ranks in 1938, and very few units did not have them at the start of the war, largely because units could have them made up at local tailors to save waiting for them to come over from the UK. The prewar 1897 second pattern khaki drill service dress (KDSD) was phased out very quickly for the large part as war began, although some ceremonial units retained it throughout the war and was issued until 1943 to units in India, even if it wasn't worn. In this period, change came somewhat quicker in some respects, slower in others. Drivers, cavalrymen, tankers,corpsmen, gunners, and others had variations in the webbing throughout the war There were of course other variations, the most notable being cavalry regiments, who wore spurs and britches and leather equipment on parade in service dress, and rifle regiments, who had black plastic buttons as opposed to brown, and officers wore black boots and black Sam Brownes in Service Dress. Officers Service Dress, left (me) shewing walking out. For walking out, officers Service dress would be worn with brown shoes. Boots were usually brown as opposed to black, and headgear would often consist of the SD cap. SD was usually worn with a Sam Browne and Puttees, BD would have 37 Pattern webbing (pistol order) and was worn with an open collar (often with serge faced lapels), with a shirt and tie underneath. In much the same way both BD and SD was worn by soldiers, the same goes for the officers. Brass regimental collar badges and shoulder titles were worn on SD, and sometimes on BD. The webbing is the wrong colour, but it gives you the ideaĪt this stage, walking out uniform would consist of the BD or SD worn with or without a webbing belt, a field service cap, regimental caps, or "coloured" field service caps (which were in regimental colours). Insignia would consist of rank insignia on the sleeve, and perhaps cloth slide on regimental titles on the eppaulletes (although these were supposed to be removed), as well as cap badges on capsġ937 Battledress, 1937 Pattern Webbing. In combat the primary headgear would have been the MkII helmet covered with a hessian (burlap) cover, whereas at base the Field Service Cap (side cap, chipbag, and other names to rude to print), and certain unit specific headgear such as the Glengary would be worn.įootwear would be the toecapped amunition boot, and underneath the tunic a khaki wool shirt with a white neckband, or a WWI style "greyback". Worn at the front, and easily accessible would be a MkVI Gas mask bag (AKA the Indiana Jones Bag), and at the back, either over or under the pack, would be carried a gas cape. During this period it is not uncommon to see pretty much any combination of webbings and uniforms, with some BD wearing units still equipped with '08 webbing, some with '37 webbing, some SD wearing soldiers with '37 pattern webbing, etc.
III or MkIII* with the 1907 sword bayonet. The primary weapon carried by the average infantryman was Short Magazine Lee-Enfield Number 1. I've got nothing better to do, so I thought I'd do a few quick guides on British Uniforms of WWII, as a general guide to those who wish to portray those sadists who have gotten bored of women saying "you look handsome" when they see you in an American uniform and instead want to hear "you smell funny"! There'll be quite a few of these, covering all three services.īritish Army 1939-1940 - temperate combat uniformsĪt this stage of the war, there were two uniforms that were worn by British soldiers: the very recognisable and well known 1937 pattern battledress (BD)uniform, and the largely obsolete 1922 pattern service dress (SD), the former supposedly replacing the latter, however many units had not been re-equiped at the early stages of the war, and thus went to war wearing this rather old fashioned uniform.Įquipment carried at this stage was either 1937 pattern webbing (with MkI bren pouches, and blancoed a colour known as "Pea Green"), or 1908 pattern webbing (similarly obsolete in the British army as the 1922 pattern webbing, and blancoed either Pea Green or "Buff", another shade of green), both in what was called "battle order", with a small pack/haversack replacing the large pack/rucksack.
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